Science Education for Women: Situated Cognition,Feminist Standpoint Theory,and the Status of Women in Science

This paper examines the relation between situated cognition theory in science education, and feminist standpoint theory in philosophy of science. It shows that situated cognition is an idea borrowed from a long since discredited philosophy of science. It argues that feminist standpoint theory ought not be indulged as it is a failed challenge to traditional philosophy of science. Standpoint theory diverts attention away from the abiding educational and career needs of women in science. In the interest of women in science, and in the interest of science, science educators would do best for their constituencies by a return to feminist philosophy understood as the demand for equal access and a level playing field for women in science and society.

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Cassandra L. PinnickEmail:

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Dr. Cassandra L. Pinnick’s   research interests focus on formal rationality and the epistemological weight of evidence, evidence in law and science, and anti scientific Realism. Her publications that concern women, science, and the philosophy of science, include essays in the journals Philosophy of Science, Metascience, Social Epistemology, a contributed chapter to the Routledge Companion for Philosophy of Science, and co-editorship of the anthology Scrutinizing Feminist Epistemology of Science (Rutgers).